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F. J. BIGGS.

LATCH AND LOUK COMBINED.

No. 311,637. Pat-ented'Feb. 3, 1.885..

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LATOHAND LOOK COMBINED. v No. 311,637. Patented Feb. 3,1885

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FREDERICK JAMES BIGGS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LATCH AND LOCK COMBINED.

.EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nb. 311,637, dated February 3, 1885.

Application filed April 9, I884.

BIGGs, of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Imp rovenlents in Lat ch- Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of latchlooks wherein, by means of a key,t-he latch may be shot beyond its normal protrusion in order to lock the door, the bolt being at the same time disconnected from the knob.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of such latch-locks in order to correct certain defects to which, as heretofore constructed, they have been subject.

The accompanying drawings show my improved latch-lock in its preferred form. Fig ure 1 is a side elevation of the lock,with the parts in the normal or unlocked position, one

side of the lock-case being removed and the front plate being in section. Fig. 2 is asimilar view, but showing the latchbolt shot forward and locked, and also showing the knob or handle turned as in the act of opening the latch. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a horizontal mid-section of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a front view of the two parts of the bolt, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the same.

Let a designate the lock-case; b, the front plate; 0, the spindle of the knob or handle,and (l a sleeve or boss, having a square hole to receive the spindle. The latchbolt is in two parts, 9 and h, as shown best in Figs. 5 and 6. The part h is at the front and bears or is con nected to the beveled latch i. The part 9 at the-rear is formed with beveled'faces f f, which are acted upon by horns or arms 6 c on the boss d,which is turned by the spindle 0. Thus the turningof thespindleto eitherside presses back the part 9 of the bolt against the tension ofa spring, 0, which is mounted on a pin, 1), and reacts against afixed post, q, Fig. 4. The parts 9 and h of the bolt are connected together only through a tumbler, m, which is pivoted at a to the part h, and has a notch, Z, which engages a tooth, 75, on the part gof the bolt, as shown in Fig. 1. This engagement is only when the latch is unlocked. At such time the two parts of the bolt are thus connected together, and the turning of the knob or handle moves back the entire bolt and (No model.) Patented in England Octohcr 2, 1583, No. 4,675.

draws in the beveled latch i, the spring 0 be- ,ing thus compressed ready to return the parts to their normal position when the handle is released. I

In order to lock the latch, a key is inserted at the hole 1' and turned. It first lifts the tumbler m clear of the tooth It, and then 'moves this tumbler forward, together witlh the latch,

into theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The

tumbler being then clear of the tooth is, it follows that when the handle is turned it moves only the rear portion, g, of the bolt, as shown in Fig. 2, and the front portion, 71, and latch i are not moved. \Vhen the latch is again unlocked by turning the key, the tumbler is first lifted and then moved back with the part h of the bolt, and in falling its notch Z again engages the tooth k.

In latch-locks of this character prior to my invention the tooth is and the end of the tumbler have both been made with abrupt faces, the result eing that, if the bolt be unlocked while the handle is turned. the release of the handle causes the part 9 of the bolt to spring forward, and its tooth it strikes dead against the end of the tumbler, and, if the spring be strong enough, shoots the boltagain, or at the least leaves the latch blocked and inoperative. In my improved construction of latch both the reshooting of the bolt and the blocking of the latch under such circumstances are prevented. and the springing forwardof the rear part of the bolt upon the release of the handle is made to couple the two parts of the bolt together again and leave the latch operative.

It will be seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 2 that the tumbler in is formed with a tooth, it, having its rear side beveled, and that the tooth is is also beveled on its upper front side. It is not necessary that both these teeth be thus beveled, as it will suffice if only one be beveled. If, while the handle is turned, as shown in' Fig. 2, the latch should be withdrawn by turning the key, then on the release of the handle the party of the bolt will spring forward, and in doing so its tooth. It will encounter the tooth a on the tumbler, and by reason of their beveled faces (or a beveled face on one of them) will lift the tumbler and pass under it into the notch l, whereupon the turnbler will drop back, leaving the latch in oper- I GO ative condition and unlocked. Thus no possible blocking or disarrangement of my improved latch-lock can occur from any ordinary cause.

I also provide means for retaining the bolt h and latch i in eitherposition, locked or unlocked, thus preventing their displacement until they are intentionally displaced by the key or handle. This means consists of a tooth. 8, formed on the under side of the tumbler,and a fixed tooth, 16, formed on the case. As the tumbler is lifted by the hey its tooth s clears the toot-h t, and as the tumbler falls again its tooth comes upon the opposite side of the latter. WVhen the latch is shot or locked, the teeth 3 t stand in such positions as to prevent its retraction, and when it is retracted, as in Fig. 1, they stand in such position as to prevent its being shot farther out, but do not prevent its being drawn farther in by turning the handle.

The general construction of my improved latch-lock is such as to secure simplicity of parts and great compactness, thus adapting the lock to a slender cylindrical case.

I am aware of the constructions of locks shown in English Patent No. 87 of 1871, upon certain of which my present invention is an improvement. 4

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, to form a latch-lock, of a latch-bolt divided into two parts, the beveled latch borne by one of said parts, the knobspindle connected to and actuating the other of said parts, a tumbler pivoted to one part of the bolt, a tooth or projection on the other part thereof, adapted to be engaged by said tumbler or disengaged therefrom, and a beveled face on said tooth or tumbler, or both, substantially as set forth, whereby when the tooth is moved against the tumbler it will displace the latter and engage with it.

2. The combination, to form a latch-lock, of a latch-bolt divided into two parts, the knobspindle connected to and actuating the rear my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK JAMES BIGGS.

WVitnesses:

GEORGE O. BACON, W ALTER T. BROWNE.

part, a tumbler pivoted to the front part, and 

